Luggage latching device



Feb. 13, 1962 c. s. GEHRIE 3,020,743

LUGGAGE LATCHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- fi/Ml n/x/4 I, w will INVENTOR. @arles A5. fezjie,

y Y 4 B W 3W rates 3,020,743 Patented Feb. 13,

3,020,743 LUGGAGE LATCHING DEVICE Charles S. Gehrie, Montclair, N .J.,assignor to Presto Lock Co., Garfield, N.J., a limited partnership FiledFeb. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 792,526 Claims. (CI. 7069) This inventionrelates to a releasable latch and lock device for a luggage case or likecontainer of the kind having a cover or lid hinged to a body section forclosing the latter, and for other uses requiring means to releasablyfasten separate parts one to another.

This invention has for an object to provide a latching device forreleasably fastening together separable parts of a container or the likewhich comprises a pivot bar adapted to be attached to one of saidseparable parts adjacent an edge thereof, a body member which ispivotally mounted on the pivot bar, and a first latching member which isadapted to be secured to the part of the separable parts to be fastenedto the part to which the pivot bar is attached. The mounting of the bodyon the pivot bar is in a manner to provide a scissoring movement of thebody member upon and relative to the pivot bar by timing the body memberbetween a first position, which corresponds to release of the separableparts and in which the body member is disposed transversely of the pivotbar, and a second position, which corresponds to fastening together ofthe separable parts and in which the body member is disposed towardalignment of the pivot bar and body member in parallel relation. Thebody member is proportioned so that, when it is disposed in the secondor fastened position it projects laterally beyond the pivot bar, thusproviding a portion of the body member which is disposed outwardly ofthe pivot bar with the body portion in the fastened position. Forcooperation with the said first latching member, there is provided asecond latching member and this second latching member is provided inconnection with the mentioned portion of the body member which projectsoutwardly of the pivot bar. The arrangement and construction of thesecond latching member is such that it is adapted to engage in latchingrelationship the first latching member upon scissoring movement of thebody member relative to the pivot bar from the said transverse releasedposition to the said parallel fastened position.

The invention has for another object to provide as said second latchingmember, which is the latching member provided in connection with thebody member, an arcuate passageway or groove disposed in the undersideof the body member adjacent the pivot bar, and to provide as the firstlatching member an anchor bar having a lug adapted to ride in thearcuate passageway or groove of the second latching member upon rotatedscissoring movement of the body member from the released to the fastenedposition. The passageway or groove extends from an open end orentranceway which is adapted to receive the lug when the body member isin the released position, to an inner end portion which is adapted toreceive the lug when the body member is in the fastened position. Thepassageway or groove is adapted upon scissoring movement of the bodymember and pivot bar from the released position to the fastened positionto guide the lug from the groove entranceway to groove inner endportion. Desirably, the radius of the groove outer side wall decreasesfrom the groove entranceway to the groove inner end portion, beingeccentric to the pivot point of the body member, and this constructionfacilitates fastening of separable parts together as it permitsemployment of the scissoring movement to draw the separable partstightly together.

Another object of the invention is the provision of detention means foryieldingly restraining the scissoring movement of the body member to andfrom the release position and to and from the fastened position.Desirably, the detention means includes a pin which is atfixed to thepivot bar and projects therefrom into an arcuate detent groove disposedin the body member. The detent groove is arranged to permit travel ofthe pin therein upon scissoring movement of the body member relative tothe pivot bar, and a detent spring is provided to engage said pin ateach end thereof for restraining movement of the body member from thereleased position thereof and the fastened position thereofrespectively, as the case may be.

The invention has for a further object to provide the body member withkey actuatable means which is engage able with stop means carried by thepivot bar on which the body member is pivotally mounted so as to preventmanipulated scissoring movement of the body member relative to the pivotbar, thereby locking the body member against unauthorized releasingmanipulation.

The above and other objects will be understood from a reading of thefollowing detailed description of the invention in reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the latching device of the inventionoperatively mounted for securing separable parts together and shown inthe latched position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding with the view of FIG. 1 and showingthe latching device in unlocked position and the separable parts spacedfrom each other;

FIG. 3 is side elevation of the latching device as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are sectional views taken, respectively, along line4-4 in FIG. 3, and line 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are the same as FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 but show a portionof the latching device broken away.

Referring to the drawings, in the several figures, in whichcorresponding parts are referred to by like reference characters, acontainer, which can be a luggage case, comprises a body section 10 anda lid 11, and there is provided for releasably securing the body sectionand lid together a latching device 12. The latching device comprises apivot bar 13, which is secured by rivets 14 to an edge portion of thelid 11, and a body member 16, which is pivotally mounted at pivot axis17 to the pivot bar 13. Secured to the luggage case body section 10 byrivets 19 is an anchor bar 18 which has, as an integral part thereof, alatching member in the form of lug 21. The body member 16 is providedwith a latching member, in the form of a passageway or groove 22, forcooperation, in a manner shortly to be described, with the latching lug21, to secure the luggage case parts together.

The pivot mounting of the body member 16 on the pivot bar 13 can be bestseen in FIG. 5. As is there shown, the pivot bar is provided with anoutwardly extending collar 23 which is received in an annular recess 24in the body member 16, and a screw 26 secures the collar in the recessfor relative rotation. ,As is shown in FIG. 3, the screw 26 iscountersunk into the pivot bar 13 and the head thereof abuts theadjacent surface of the luggage case lid 11, whereby disengagement ofthe screw is precluded by the assembly of the pivot bar on the lid byrivets 14.

The pivotal mounting of the body member 16 on the pivot bar 13 permits ascissoring movementv of these .parts whereby the body member is movablefrom a first As will be described in more detail below, the said firstposition corresponds with the release of the separable parts of theluggage case, i.e. the body section and lid 11, and the said secondposition corresponds with the fastened position of the luggage parts.

As can be best seen in FIG. 4, the body member 16 is proportioned sothat with the body member in the fastened position, a portion 27 thereofextends laterally beyond the pivot bar 13 and another portion 28 thereofis disposed over the pivot bar 13. The passageway or groove 22, which isthe latching member of the body member 16, is disposed in said portion27 which extends outwardly of the pivot bar 13.

In the operation of the device, as thus far described, to dispose theluggage lid 11 in place on the luggage body section 10, the body member16 is turned to the released position, as is shown in FIG. 2, and theluggage parts are then moved together, whereupon the lug 21 of anchorbar 18, mounted on the luggage body section 10, see FIG. 6, enters thepassageway or groove 22. The body member 16 is then turned clockwise tothe fastened position shown in FIG. 1. During this clockwise movement ofthe body member 16, the lug 21 of anchor bar 18 rides in the passagewayor groove 22, and moves into abutting relation with the abutment 29,disposed at the inwardly positioned end of the groove, as the bodymember 16 reaches fastening position.

In order to disengage the luggage parts, the body member 16 is movedcounterclockwise so as to dispose the lug 21 of anchor bar 18 to aposition in the passageway or groove 22 such that it is aligned with theentranceway 38, whereupon the parts can be separated by an upliftingmotion applied to the luggage case lid 11, as is indicated by the arrow31 in FIG. 6, or alternatively by a downward motion of the luggage casebody section, as is indicated by the arrow 32 in FIG. 6.

A preferred construction for the passageway or groove 22 is depicted inthe drawings. As is there shown, the body member 16 is of generallyrectangular shape defined in part by side portion 33 by which the bodymember 16 is pivoted to the bar 13 and curved end 34 which is disposedoutwardly of the luggage part to which the body member 16 is securedwith the body member in the release position. The passageway or groove22 is defined by inner side wall or margin 36, which is of arcuate formand extends from side portion 33 inwardly into the body memberconcentric to the pivotal connection of the latter to the pivot bar 13,and outer side wall or margin 37, which is of arcuate form and extendsfrom within the body member to adjacent the curved end 34 of the bodymember where it intersects a cutaway portion 39 at the curved end 34 andeccentric to the pivotal connection of the body member with the pivotbar 13. Thus, the passageway or groove 22 has an entranceway 38 whichopens through the curved end 34 and side portion 33 of the body member.Accordingly, the body member is in the release position, wherein theluggage parts can be separated by an uplifting motion of the lid 11,notwithstanding the body member 16 has not been moved counterclockwisebeyond the lug 21. This provides the advantage of permittingdisengagement of the luggage parts with but limited turning of the bodymember 16. Desirably, the turning of the body member be tween thefastened and released positions is through an angle of about 90.

As can be but seen in FIG. 3, the pivot bar 13 is provided at one endthereof with a lift 41 which is formed so as to close the entranceway 38of the groove 22 when the body member is in the fastened position.

A further feature of the passageway or groove construction shown in thedrawing is that the eccentric radius of the groove outer wall or margin37 increases from abutment 29, or inner end portion, of the passagewayor groove to the entranceway 38 thereof. Thus, as will be apparent froma consideration of FIG. 6, the

scissoring movement of the body member 16 relative to the pivot bar 13can be employed to draw the container parts together from a near closedposition to a fully or tight closed position. Commonly, luggage casesare filled so that it is diflicult to move the lid 11 to the fullyclosed position indicated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7 wherein the tongue 42 ofthe lid is received in the groove 42' of the luggage case body section10. If, however, the lid can be moved to a near closed position suchthat the lug 21 is disposed in the entranceway 38 of passage way orgroove 22, then the mechanical advantage or leverage obtainable byturning of the body member 16 on the pivot bar 13 can be employed toassist in moving the lid to the fully or tightly closed position, sincedue to the eccentric curvature of the passageway or groove outer wall37, the lug will move along the groove 22 and draw the container orluggage case parts to the desired tightly closed position.

Desirably the locking device includes detention means for yieldinglyrestraining scissoring movement of the body member from the releasedposition and from the fastened position. In the embodiment shown in thedrawing, the latching device is provided with a detent groove 43, whichis disposed in the body member 16, and a detent pin 44, which is affixedto the pivot bar 13 and projects into the detent groove 43. A detentspring 46 is secured to the body member 16 and terminates adjacent eachend of the detent groove 43 whereby to provide recesses 47 and 48 at theends of the detent groove. Due to the yielding characteristics of thedetent spring, the detent pin is yieldingly retained in recess 48 whenthe body member 16 is in the release position (see FIG. 6), and thedetent pin is yieldingly retained in recess 47 when the body member 16is in the fastened position (see FIG. 7).

In most cases it is desirable to provide the device with a keyactuatable locking means operative to lock the body member 16, when inits fastened position, against unauthorized releasing manipulation. Forthis purpose, there is provided in the body member 16 a lock bolt 56,means for shifting th elock bolt between a locked position (see FIG. 7)and an unlocked position (see FIG. 6), and a lock bolt engaging bar 57integral with the pivot bar 13 and positioned to operatively engage thelock bolt when the lock bolt is in the locked position and to therebythen restrain turning or scissoring release movement of the body memberand hence to thus restrain unfastening of the latching device.

The lock bolt 56 is slidably movable in a cavity 58 formed by a hollowedout portion of the body member 16 and an inlay plate 59 which is aclosure for the cavity and is secured in place by rivets 61. The cavity58 is provided with an opening 62 for the working end 63 of the lockbolt 56 and through which the lock bolt can be moved between the lockedposition in which it projects through the opening 62 and operativelyengages the lock bolt engaging bar 57, and the unlocked position inwhich the working end 63 is withdrawn into the cavity 58. To permitshifting the lock bolt 56 between the locked and the unlocked position,there is provided a key barrel 64. The key barrel 64 is rotatablymounted in the body member 16 and is adapted to receive a key (notshown) which is suitable to engage the lock bolt and shift it betweenthe locked and unlocked positions. For cooperation with the key, thelock bolt is provided with a forward key engageable shoulder 66, adaptedto be engaged by the key and receive turning thrust therefrom whereby toadvance the bolt to the locked position, and a rearward key engageableshoulder 67, adapted to be engaged by the key and receive turning thrusttherefrom whereby to shift the bolt to the unlocked position. Toyieldingly secure the lock bolt in either the locked or unlockedposition, there is fixedly positioned in the cavity a positioning nosing69 and the bolt is formed to provide a stop projection 70 forcooperation with the nosing 69 so as to yieldingly restrain the bolt 56in either the locked or the unlocked position. In order to urge the lockbolt stop projection 70 into suitable engagement with the positioningnosing 69 and also to urge the key engaging shoulder 66 and 67 into aposition suitable for engagement by a key a spring arm 71 is connectedto the look bolt and bears against the cavity wall and yieldingly urgesthe stop projection 70 and engaging shoulders 66 and 67 in a directionsuitable to provide the desired engagements. An opening 68 in the inlayplate 59 is provided to facilitate accurately positioning a key in thekey barrel 64.

Although provision of the locking means will be found desirable in mostcases, said locking means may be omitted in an embodiment of thisinvention desired to provide only latching eflect.

What is claimed is:

1. A luggage latching device for releasably fastening together separableparts of a container or the like comprising a longitudinal pivot baradapted to be afiixed to a marginal edge portion of one of said part-sparallel thereto, a pivot member projecting outwardly from said pivotbar intermediate its ends, a substantially rectangular body memberhaving the marginal portion of one of its long sides superposed upon thepivot bar and journaled on the pivot member so as to be rotatable withscissoring movement relative to said pivot bar, a longitudinal anchorbar adapted to be affixed to a marginal edge portion of the other ofsaid separable parts in spaced apart parallel relation to the pivot barfor cooperation with the other long side of said body member, said longsides of the body member being coextensive with said pivot and anchorbars so as to span and overlie the same in concealing relation theretoin its latching position operative to hold the container parts closedtogether, a latching lug upstanding from said anchor bar intermediateits ends, said body member having latching means to cooperate with thelatching lug of said anchor bar, said latching means comprising innerand outer margins forming a downwardly open arcuate passageway in theunderside of the body member, the inner margin being concentric to thepivotal connection of said body member with the pivot bar and the outermargin being eccentric to said pivotal connection, said passagewayhaving an inner end terminating adjacent to the pivotal connection ofthe body member with the pivot bar and an open outer end providing anentranceway through the juncture of an end and the first mentioned longside of the body member, all whereby, when the body member is turned toa release position to extend transverse to the pivot bar and anchor bar,the latching lug can be entered through said entranceway into the bodymember, and thereupon, when the body member is turned to be disposedparallel to the pivot bar and anchor bar in its latching position, saidanchor lug will ride intothe passageway to the inner end thereof so asto be engaged by the body member thereby to hold said separable parts ofthe container latched together in closed relation.

2. A latching device according to claim 1, wherein the pivot bar isprovided with an outwardly projecting lift adapted to enter and closethe entranceway of the body member passageway when the body member isdisposed in its latching position.

3. A latching device according to claim 1, including detent meansoperative to yieldingly restrain movement of the body member fromlatching position to release position and vice versa.

4. A latching device according to claim 3, wherein said detent meanscomprises an upstanding detent pin affixed to the pivot bar, meansdefining a detent groove in the body member into which said detent pinprojects for movement relative thereto upon rotated movement of the bodymember, and a detent spring supported by the body member in borderingrelation to said detent groove, respective ends of said detent springbeing respectively engageable by said detent pin to yieldably restrainmovement of the body member from latching position to release positionand vice versa.

5. A luggage latching device according to claim 1 including a keyactuatable locking means operative to lock the body member againstrotated movement from its latching position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS904,375 Teese Nov. 17, 1908 2,083,702 Franzen June 15, 1937 2,336,129Sargisson et al. Dec. 7, 1943 2,422,723 Fisher June 24, 1947 2,514,980Vincent July 11, 1950 2,720,772 Atkinson Oct. 18, 1955

